E3 International | Your sustainable energy partner
Description: The goal of the SLLES is to improve rural land and livelihoods and to protect native forests, biodiversity, and human health.
Countries in the Western Balkan region are highly dependent on coal for electricity and heating. About 70% of national energy production in Serbia relies on low-energy lignite, leading to massive greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and land degradation through open-pit mining. In response, in support of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to climate goals, the country is embarking on an ambitious strategy for transitioning to renewable energy while preserving and creating equitable employment. I
Bioeconomy solutions will play a critical role in this climate-friendly and jobs-creating process, based on three elements: 1) short rotation coppices or plantations (SRPs) of fast-growing tree (e.g. willow) and reed (Arundo) species for the production of woody biomass and biogas, respectively, for heat and power; 2) agroforestry borders around the SRPs as biodiverse and economically beneficial buffers; and 3) permanent tree areas for long-term conservation, carbon sequestration, and sustainable use of timb
These solutions are currently being piloted on four different sites in Vojvodina Province, including a landfill, municipal degraded agricultural land, private land, and adjacent to a coal mine. It is estimated that woody biomass from 75,000 ha of SRPs can substitute 10% of Serbia's coal-based energy through co-firing in coal-powered plants. In Vojvodina alone, about 200,000 ha of degraded and/or abandoned agricultural land are suitable for SRPs With roughly one kilometer of agroforestry borders planned for
E3 International | Your sustainable energy partner